Finding Peace
by LuciaBlackTheWolfWitch
Summary: Just an Andromeda/Hermione one-shot I was working on that I decided to post


Pairing: Andromeda x Hermione

Setting: After the war

Hermione laid curled up in the extra cot in Ginny's bedroom at the burrow. It had been almost 2 months since the war had ended and Hermione had been so busy helping survivors, cleaning up and repairing Hogwarts, she hadn't given herself time to truly grieve all she'd lost. Her friends, her parents, her childhood. But now here in the burrow surrounded by the grieving Weasley's she had nothing but time on her hands to think of what she'd lost, it was that or attend the funerals of everyone who'd died at Hogwarts. Harry was the only one to see Hermione beginning to split at the seams and it worried him.

Harry knocked on the door to the small room "Mione?" he asked softly. Some shuffling was heard on the other side of the door before a soft answer came from the other side of the door. Harry peeked in before making his way towards the bed to sit next to Hermione. "Hey 'Mione" he said bumping shoulders with her in a friendly gesture.

Hermione smiled a bit but the usual light behind her eyes had long since faded "Good afternoon Harry" she said softly.

"How are you doi-

Hermione cut him off quickly "Don't... Harry. Just don't. I'm fine" she promised. In the last couple of days since everything had simmered down Harry had often been seen speaking with Hermione asking her if she was alright, offering a friendly hand, and just generally trying to support his friend. It had caused a bit of a riff between him and Ron for a while the ginger boy assuming that Harry was picking at the dead carcass of his and Hermione's "gone too soon" relationship. Harry had expected the same from Ginny but according to her she "knows Hermione is like his sister" and didn't need to worry.

"Sorry Mione" the dark haired boy muttered rubbing the back of his head. "Um, Ron and I are getting ready for the Tonks and Lupin memorial... are you gonna be going? I know Teddy would love to see you" he said with a smile.

Hermione sighed in defeat, the teenager would do almost anything for Teddy. Tonks death was the one that hit her hardest since she had grown so close to the auror through the years. "I'll meet you downstairs when I'm ready okay?" she asked.

Harry nodded "Great, I'll probably go ahead with Ginny if you don't mind. That'll give you and Ron some time to talk"

Hermione's face darkened once more "Harry!" she snapped. Since Ron and Hermione's short lived romance had ended Harry had been trying to push the two back together hoping for the best.

"Hermione just give him a second chance, I know neither of you will tell me what happened but I just want you both to be happy"

"I am happy" Hermione replied haughtily.

"You obviously aren't happy Mione, I mean you barely ever leave this room"

"How am I supposed to be happy about leaving this room? Every time I do its because it's a funeral or some kind of ceremony honoring us for our 'efforts' in the war. It's awful Harry"

"But wouldn't Ron be able to help deal with all that 'Mione?"

"Harry, you and I both know Ron has the emotional range of a teaspoon" she replied simply.

He chuckled and bumped shoulders with Hermione once more. "Why are you really so concerned with Ron and I?" she asked after a few silent moments.

Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair "I'm worried about you Mione, I really am. But I'm also worried about Ron, he's been struggling with losing Fred but then to lose you too... I think it's become too much for him."

"Harry... Ron and I broke up because he blames me for Fred. Me and my family and muggles. We were talking about everything after we first got back and he just suddenly got so angry saying how I didn't understand all that he'd lost. Like I didn't lose my parents or any of my friends! We we didn't all lose something!" she had started quietly but now she was shouting and angry tears had filled her eyes.

Harry frowned as he listened. He sighed and pressed a hand to his forehead wondering how his best friend could be such a prat to the girl he claimed to love. "I can't handle taking care of Ron when I'm barely making it through every single day" she finished a few tears streaming down her face. Harry hugged her tightly and rubbed her back as she sobbed. He hugged her so tightly that he wished it could put all her broken pieces back together.

It felt like hours before the two were finally calm and collected. Hermione wiped her eyes and pulled herself from Harry's arms "I'm fine Harry. Or I will be." she sniffled. "I'll meet you downstairs in a little bit" she promised. Harry got up and went to Ron's room to finish changing as Hermione stood from the bed closing the door behind him. She got dressed in a simple black dress then put some sleakeezy potion in her hair to calm her usual mass of curls and fuzz. She looked at herself in the mirror with a sigh before looking at her arm. The world "Mudblood" was scratched into it and even after months of healing the angry red lines were still prominent against her pale skin. She put a simple concealment charm over the thing that reminded her daily of the traumatic event.

Hermione made her way downstairs finding Harry, Ginny, and Ron waiting for her. Ginny walked over to her and hugged with a smile "You look great Mione" she said simply. Ron nodded awkwardly and Harry nodded happily. The group of four linked arms and apparated to a little hill top near the cottage Nymphadora Tonks grew up in. The little group walked towards where the rest of the group stood overlooking to graves. Nymphadora Tonks and Remus Lupin had been buried a month ago by Andromeda but the woman now wanted to do something more for the daughter she'd lost and the girls husband.

Harry walked over to Andromeda placing a supportive hand on her shoulder as the older woman held her grandson Teddy and looked at the graves of the family she'd lost. Andromeda had lost everything during both wars, during the first she was disowned by her family and casted out by pureblood society for falling in love with her then boyfriend Ted Tonks and now during the second war she'd lost her beloved husband, daughter, and son-in-law, left only with her grandson Teddy. She smiled softly at Harry who took Teddy when the young boy reached for him. Ron and Ginny stepped up next speaking quietly to Andromeda for a while before following Harry towards the small tent set up nearby where the friends and family stood sharing fond memories of each of their fallen friends.

Hermione was the last on to greet Andromeda smiling a bit awkwardly as the older woman hugged her tightly. They had grown rather close since the war had ended, Andromeda was the first person besides Harry and Ron to see the hideous scars on her arm left behind by the notorious Bellatrix Lestrange.

Andromeda cupped Hermione's cheek gently and smiled at the young woman "How are you Hermione?" she asked her thumb brushing gently against the younger woman's cheek.

Hermione relaxed a bit smiling fondly "I'm keeping my head above water" she answered simply.

"Barely" she replied gently sweeping her thumb against the bags under Hermione's eyes.

"Andi..." Hermione said softly.

Andromeda smiled and hugged Hermione once more "Thank-you for being here Hermione, I need the support"

"I'll always be here Andi, just like you were here for me after..."

Andromeda squeezed her hand and the two made their way over to the rest of the group fingers intertwined holding onto eachother like an anchor in a stormy sea.

After many kind words spoken by every friend of Ted, Nymphadora, and Remus each toasting to their lives and hoping to see them again things began to die down. The mood of the group became a bit lighter as the continued to share fond memories over drinks and food. People began to desperse leaving behind the goldren trio, Ginny, Teddy and Andi behind. Andromeda looked like she'd been ran ragged.

Harry was holding a sleeping Teddy and he smiled down at the blue haired toddler, Ginny running a hand through the little boys hair. "Andi, if you want a break after everything today Ginny and I would be happy to watch Teddy for the weekend" he offered his red-headed girlfriend nodding along happily.

Andromeda smiled tiredly her head resting on Hermione's shoulder "I'd really appreciate that Harry, he's began adjusting to a normal sleeping schedule but he still wakes up late at night or early in the mornings sometimes" she explained.

Ginny nodded and smiled "I'll go upstairs and pack him a bag for the weekend so you can get some well deserved sleep Andi" she said before making her way up the stairs.

Ron glared at Andromeda and Hermione from his seat in the corner. He had suspected something going on between them after all the time they had spent together after Hermione's run in at Malfoy Manor but now seeing them cuddled up on the loveseat made him almost sure. He stood up dusting himself off "I suppose we should head back to the burrow now 'Mione" he said walking over and offering her his hand as if their break up and arguments had never existed.

Hermione lifted her head from where it had been resting on top of Andromeda's "Actually Ron, I think I'm gonna stay and make sure Andi actually gets some rest and relaxation this weekend" she explained.

Andromeda perked up at Hermione's comment and smiled sleepily "Yay, girls weekend"

Ron huffed "Fine, whatever" he snapped before stomping through the house, out the door and turning on the spot disappearing with a *POP* leaving everyone in the house confused.

Andromeda who was now a bit more awake sat up in confusion "What's gotten into him?" she asked her eyes wandering between Hermione and Harry in her search for answers.

"He and Hermione officially broke up a month ago and he tends to act like a total git everytime someone gets close to Hermione, platonically or otherwise" Harry explained.

Hermione rolled her eyes "He doesn't have a right to be upset about seeing me be affectionate with other people. If he hadn't..." she trailed off her eyes showing her anger. Andromeda placed a soothing hand on her shoulder to help calm her.

Harry saw the look pass between them and smiled a bit 'It seems I was trying to get the wrong people together' he thought to himself as he stood up still holding baby Teddy in his arms. Ginny was standing on the last step of the stairs with a small smile on her face.

"I'm ready when you are Harry" she said.

Harry made his way over to Andromeda and Hermione kissing Hermione's forehead and pecking Andi's cheek "You two get some sleep. Maybe the next time we see you the bags under your eyes will be gone" he teased. Hermione punched his shoulder gently and chuckled while Ginny came over to hug them both. After a few more minutes of goodbyes Harry and Ginny disapparated in the garden outside the cottage. Hermione closed the door behind them locking up the house with her wand then placing it in her pocket.

When she finally made her way back to the living room after locking up she found Andromeda curled up on the couch snoring lightly. Hermione chuckled rubbing her arm. She frowned as she felt her fingertips brush the scar on her arm. Even with the concealment charm there to hide it she could still feel it and it made her heart rate spike.

Hermione stood rooted to the spot for a while breathing quickly lost in her memories until she felt hands on her shoulders. She screeched and moved away slapping the hands away in her fear. The arms wrapped around her and a voice whispered sweet-nothings to her until she felt her breathing return to normal.

"It's okay Hermione, it's okay, its just me. She's not here" Andromeda whispered over and over again. Hermione fell back against her chest sobbing silently as Andi rubbed her back in soothing circles.

After a while Hermione was quiet and Andromeda pulled back to cup the young girls flushed cheeks "There's my beautiful girl" she cooed when Hermione finally looked her in the eye. She kissed her forehead gently and Hermione hugged her tightly. Two broken hearts fitting together like the final pieces of a jigsaw puzzles.

The two leaned against eachother as they made their way upstairs, Hermione moved to go to a guestroom but Andromeda kept holding her hand "Please... I don't want to be alone tonight" she said softly. Hermione nodded and followed Andromeda to her bedroom. The two prepared for bed before Andromeda laid down quietly.

Hermione edged towards the bed nervously and Andromeda smiled softly at her "This isn't the first time we've been here. Why so nervous?" she asked.

Hermione chuckled as she crawled into the bed "I know, but this is the first time we've been this close since-"

"Since the week after Ted died" she said softly.A heartbroken smile gracing her lips. Hermione nodded before moving a bit closer to Andromeda the older woman opening her arms and pulling her close.

"In another life Hermione I think we would have been happy together. Married, maybe a daughter or son, filled with lots of happiness" Andi spoke absentmindedly running her fingers through Hermione's hair.

"We still can... find happiness I mean. Everyone has lost so much in the war, but we're trying to find light where we can." she said softly. "We have to find light in the darkest of places" she said quoting Dumbledore.

Andromeda looked at Hermione for a few moments, looking into the girls chocolate brown orbs that she could drown in. She leaned down and met Hermione's lips with her own closing her eyes in the process and allowing her emotions to take over.

Hermione leaned into the kiss tangling her hands in Andromeda's hair as she did. Kissing Andi felt like coming home, it felt like a soothing breeze but a burning fire. Ice meets lava and Hermione was ready to both freeze and burn in Andromeda's kiss. Andromeda felt much the same. Hermione's lip felt like the peace she'd been looking for since the dark times had begun.

The two laid in bed kissing, hands wandering as they give into the peace they found in the other. They both had finally found hope again.


End file.
